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p. 7 of 11 BACK | NEXT 2002 in Review: Board of Directors' Report Reconstructing nations Supporting regional cooperation Reorganizing internally Adopting new policies and procedures Reviewing existing policies Management and effectiveness of ADB's technical assistance operations Inspection Function Broadening development partnerships Undertaking its Work Board committees

Annual Report 2002 : Reviewing existing policies

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Management and effectiveness of ADB's technical assistance operations

Technical assistance is an important component of ADB’s operations. It supports poverty reduction by financing project preparation and implementation, advising on policy reform, building capacity in DMCs, and helping promote regional cooperation. Unfortunately, resources for technical assistance are limited.

To meet the growing demand for technical assistance, and to ensure the most effective use of its resources, the Board of Directors reviews ADB’s technical assistance operations periodically, with a view to improving technical assistance monitoring and coordination; long-term management, quality, and cost-effectiveness; and country ownership of the process and products. In 2002, the Board of Directors discussed a working paper, identifying several variables that influence the effectiveness of technical assistance. The paper proposed remedial actions and policy revisions for improving technical assistance management, including designing systematic and long-term approaches that are supported by in-depth diagnostic analysis, ensuring commitment and ownership of the recipient DMC, ensuring stakeholder participation in processing and implementing the assistance, paying attention to training requirements and change management expertise, and continued monitoring of the implementation of recommendations.

Another measure for strengthening technical assistance effectiveness is to disseminate as widely as possible the knowledge created for, and derived from, the technical assistance activities. ADB’s technical assistance activities result in a range of knowledge services, including the formal knowledge products and services (KPS) that are programmed into the technical assistance and are targeted to specific clientele, and the less formal knowledge by-products and services. Both formal and informal products and services contribute to knowledge development; with wide dissemination, their effectiveness is maximized.

ADB’s role as a provider of knowledge for development is in line with the Directors’ review of the management and effectiveness of technical assistance, and in keeping with the objectives of the Medium-Term Strategy and the new business processes implemented in 2002. The new Regional and Sustainable Development Department (RSDD) was established in the reorganization to maintain quality and technical excellence and help ensure that knowledge is horizontally integrated across ADB. A framework for knowledge management is being prepared.

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